Border collie is a hard working dog that originated in England and Scotland. It is an intelligent dog, which is agile and energetic in nature. The dog was primarily used for the purposes of herding animals, which it used to do while making use of its sweeping motion. Today, the dog is kept as a pet in homes, where it shows extreme affection, loyalty and care for its master and builds strong bonds with the family members. In this article, we bring you details on the history, appearance, grooming, personality and genetic disease of Border collie dog breed.

History

Border collie is a working dog breed that originated on the Scottish-English and Welsh-English borders from unknown breed of dogs that were grouped and gathered for the purpose. This was at the end of 19th century, when the word ‘colley‘ or ‘collie’ had first appeared. The Border collie dog of today can be attributed to Old Hemp that was known for its working style, its good genetic make up and strength. The dog was earlier known as just ‘collie’, but terms like ‘working collie’ and ‘farm collie’ were also used for it. It was in 1915 that the term ‘Border Collie’ was used by James Reid, Secretary of the International Sheep Dog Society (ISDS), to distinguish the dog from the other dogs that were registered by ISDS from the Kennel Club’s collie.

Appearance

Border collie is an attractive breed. It is a medium-sized dog that has a hard and muscular body and strong, yet light bones. This gives it an impression of effortless movement. It possesses a smooth and silky double coat that can come in many colors; though black and white remain the most common. The regular coat color includes black tricolor (black/ tan/ white or sable and white), red (chocolate) and white, and red tricolor (red/ tan/ white), along with the other colors such as red merle, blue, blue merle, lilac, brindle and Australian red. The oval-shaped eyes are primarily brown in color and quite expressive. The tail usually hangs low and is moderately long, used to show its expression. It is raised when the dog is proud and excited and moves swiftly when he is happy and confident. Overall, the dog displays intelligence, alertness and interest.

Personality

Border collie is a working breed of dog that shows energetic, keen, alert and responsive nature. The dog is very affectionate towards its owner and makes strong bonds with the family members. However, it will show reserved and alarmed nature towards the strangers. The dog is never aggressive and will only exhibit this temperament when there is a large problem that needs to be addressed. Border collie is usually happy and understands its job of herding, while taking it seriously. The dog, however, needs a lot of exercise to keep away from boredom and diseases.

Genetic Diseases

Border collie has an average lifespan of around 12 to 15 years, but still the breed is haunted by diseases like hip dysplasia, collie eye anomaly, epilepsy, elbow dysplasia, deafness, and hypothyroidism. It can also suffer from neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (in rare cases). The disease should be traced quickly and treated immediately.

Grooming

Border collie dog needs combing and brushing of hair on a regular basis, so that the coat can remain shiny. The dog should be bathed only when necessary. The breed is an average shedder; however, the coat needs extra care during the shedding season. The ears and coat should be checked regularly for ticks.